Evening all

Tonight I have been out to look at a car with a friend. It's a Mazda 323F 1.5 gxi on an R plate. The interior was very clean but the body was quite tatty. My main concern was that the oil had been over-filled by about 20mm on the dip stick. I mentioned this and was told that they would drain some out, and that it was just filled a week ago... I wasn't overly pleased by this. The guy selling the car then took my mate out for a drive despite my concerns and when they returned there was a slight smell of hot oil.

The engine looked dry, it ran nicely and there was no sign of anything untoward out of the exhaust.

I'm worried that damage may have been done... Do I tell my mate to walk away, or am I worrying unnecessarily?

The car is at the top of the budget at £900 and I don't want to give my approval and then for my mate to get lumbered with repair bills which he can't afford.

Possible damage to the cat (MOT failure) and additional pressure on oil-seals etc. Not a good idea to overfill, but being the suspicious kind, is there a chance it was overfilled to mask / minimize odd rattles or noises ala Arfur Daly?

Personally I'd say leave it unless you can have an expert check it out fully.

if in doubt walk away. Your mate should be able to find loads of well looked after cars for £900.

if in doubt walk away. Your mate should be able to find loads of well looked after cars for £900.

Always good advice, especially as its been over filled by an awful lot if its 20mm on the dipstick

Was it stone cold and on level ground when you read it?

2cm over the dipstick base could be a reasonable amount of oil and if it's been driven for a long time like that in theory there could be bearing damage etc.

20mm overfilled :eek: leave it well alone.

Over filling oil wont mask rattles, if something is rattling then its knackered, no ammount of oil will hide it.

If its overfilled by 20mm I wouldn't think it would cause a great deal of damage in the short term. I see plenty of cars at work that are overfilled, never had to repair one for any reason due to it. If you like it buy it, if its drained out then all the better.

Bah a proper mechanic turns up and then tells us all to stop worrying

I guess were wong

I knew someone who over-filled their Favorit by about 4 litres and it didn't do any damage!!!!

Bah a proper mechanic turns up and then tells us all to stop worrying

I guess were wong

A propper mechanic? Where?

I was being polite

I knew someone who over-filled their Favorit by about 4 litres and it didn't do any damage!!!!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: That's like twice the full capacity :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: No damage? Have to wonder how long that was in there.

Suppose I should stop worrying about going 1 mm over on the dip stick then

Surely a fav takes more than 3 litres???

The 1.3 Felly takes 3.

Go with your gut, if your gut says no then walk away, there is a reason even if your conscious doesn't know what it is.

Surely a fav takes more than 3 litres???

The 1.3 Felly takes 3.

Favorit Haynes states 4 litres, 4.6 in models with oil cooler which I doubt any UK models have.

I got the impression "overfilled by about 4 litres" meant 8 litres went in :eek:

Ahh I see what you mean.

A mate once put 10l in a golf 1.6 td umwelt engine.

The car started to diesel, and rev its balls off on the hard shoulder of the M1.

Smoke everywhere!

The car ran at full pelt for about ten mins then cut out.

My mate jumped in it and started it up and drove home Strong bloody engines.

Think it had something like 240k on it whent eh body fell apart but the engine was still strong

Favorit Haynes states 4 litres, 4.6 in models with oil cooler which I doubt any UK models have.

I got the impression "overfilled by about 4 litres" meant 8 litres went in :eek:

Yup... thats what i meant!! He had just bought the car and changed the oil and filter and mis-read the manual... he drained most out but it smoked like mad for about a week!!!! lol

Didn't cause any damage anyway... so long as its not run too much with all the oil in it should be fine!

i've seen an Ford CVH engine filled to the top of the rocker cover , it wouldn't run though until drained off

i've seen an Ford CVH engine filled to the top of the rocker cover , it wouldn't run though until drained off

Have you ever seen a guy in a suit trying to fill his BMW up with oil using a small funnel and the dipstick tube. :rofl:

Have you ever seen a guy in a suit trying to fill his BMW up with oil using a small funnel and the dipstick tube. :rofl:

He probably wonders what that 710 cap is for

No but i did see a woman trying to fill her screenwash by attempting to undo the coolant lid on a stonking hot engine. :eek:

I decided it was only fair to stop her and point her at the correct tank.